บท 5: CHAPTER 5: The Bone Samurai & The Approaching Storm
[ POV ARTHUR ]
Three months. The dark, damp Arun Cave had transformed into my personal workshop. The remains of the Earthfang Bear I had painstakingly defeated were scattered on the floor. Sweat dripped from my brow, mixing with the bone dust floating in the air. My brain, the greatest legacy from my past life, never stopped thinking. Analyzing, designing, optimizing. I was tired of reacting. To face Mordred, I needed to act. And to act, I needed more than just spells.
The bear's carcass was the answer. Its bones were unusual; dense, light, and somehow felt responsive when I touched them with a bit of Qi. A crazy idea emerged—could I forge these bones into a weapon?
The process was exhausting and required extreme patience. With tight control, I used small bursts of fire from my fingertips to heat the long bones, shaping them slowly. My hands, now stronger thanks to relentless training, hammered and shaped them with smooth stones. This wasn't the elegant magic of Etheria; this was crude, determined craftsmanship.
Day after day, the rhythmic sound of hammering was the only music in the cave. The result wasn't a large greatsword like an Etherian knight's, but a katana. Its form was inspired by memories of the past—a long, slender, curved blade designed for fast, lethal slashes. I wrapped the hilt with the bear hide I had tanned myself, providing a firm grip.
When I held it, the bone sword felt light and perfect in my hand. When I touched it with Qi energy, the blade glowed softly with a bluish light. A faint smile finally appeared. Finally, something worthy.
But a weapon without technique is an expensive stick. I spent the next week moving this body, honing its reflexes, and perfecting my Qi flow. I didn't create fantastic moves. Just core movements: a cleaving slash, a penetrating thrust, a quick dodging step, and a solid defensive stance. Pure, efficient, and lethal. Every move was designed to channel Qi perfectly, transforming it from a mere bone sword into an extension of my will to survive and win.
As I practiced, a strange sensation brushed against my consciousness—not through my ears or eyes, but through my expanding Qi. A large, powerful presence, passing far overhead in the sky, moving swiftly north. It wasn't Etherian mana. It was something else, something more ancient. The feeling left a tingling sense of alert in my instincts. What was it? A threat or an ally? But it vanished as quickly as it came. I sighed. A problem for later. Now, focus.
That night, in the depths of Arun Cave, Arthur finished his training. He stood tall, his breath slightly ragged but his eyes blazing with newfound confidence. The bear bone sword in his hand—Fang of the Earth—glowed softly, responding to the energy flow within his body. He felt the tremendous difference since first arriving in this cave. He was no longer a wounded victim. He was a warrior forged from the darkness.
He raised his Oculus, checking the progress he had made. A blue panel materialized before his eyes.
[Arthur Valoria Status]
· Cultivation Stage: Consolidated Foundation ·Physical Condition: Peak Condition (equivalent to a young elite knight) ·Qi Mastery: Intermediate Proficiency ·Elemental Affinity: Fire, Wind, Ice (Dominant), Earth (Basic)
[Primary Weapon]
· "Fang of the Earth": Katana made from Earthfang Bear bone. Can channel Qi efficiently. Extremely sharp and durable. Has initial affinity with the earth element.
[Mastered Technique List]
· Elemental Magic (Evolved): · Flame Burst -> [Dragon's Breath]: A more concentrated and powerful fire explosion. · Tornado Slash -> [Gale Cutter]: A rotating wind blade with increased cutting power. · Glacial Spike -> [Permafrost Thorn]: A freezing, piercing ice spear. · Aegis Shield -> [Aegis Barrier]: A wider, more durable energy shield.
· New Qi Techniques: · Qi Sense: Feeling the presence and aura of living beings within a limited radius. · Internal Disruption (Qi Needle): Channeling compressed Qi to damage internal organs. · Body Reinforcement (Basic): Temporarily strengthening the physique with Qi for speed and strength.
· Basic Qi Sword Techniques: · Moon Splitter: A powerful vertical Qi slash. · Gale Step: A short speed burst for repositioning. · Needle Point: A concentrated Qi thrust to pierce armor. · River's Guard: A flowing defensive stance that uses Qi to deflect attacks.
Arthur looked at his status. A slightly cruel smile of satisfaction appeared on his face. His progress was indeed rapid, driven by desperation, learning talent, and his new system. He was still far from legendary hero level, but he was no longer a young man who could be ignored.
He raised his Fang of the Earth, feeling its perfect weight and balance. This sword, and all his new techniques, would soon be tested not on forest monsters, but on real enemies.
"Seahaven," he whispered into the darkness. "I'm coming."
He stepped out of Arun Cave, leaving his hiding place for the last time. The rain had stopped, leaving the air cold and fresh. The journey towards the real conflict had finally begun.
---
[ POV MORDRED ]
In the magnificent palace of Valoria, King Mordred couldn't sleep. Heavy rain beat against the windowpanes, creating a suffocating rhythm for him. Every drop seemed to whisper a name: Arthur.
It wasn't an old prophecy that frightened him. It was reports from his spies. Reports about anomalies. A young man on the northern border, near Northwood. Reports of an adult Earthfang Bear killed not by spears or elemental magic, but with strange internal injuries. No one could do that. No one, except... something new. Something he didn't understand. And Mordred hated things he didn't understand. Those things were threats.
"Guard!" he snarled, his voice hoarse. A guard captain entered with a tense face. "Increase patrols on the northern border! Check every village, every cave! Bring any suspicious-looking youth around seventeen years old in for interrogation! And send our spies to Seahaven. If Arthur is trying to find allies on that island of sailors, I want to know! I want to know what's happening there!"
Brutal and rash orders. The tyrant's fear began to spread terror, not just for Arthur, but for all the unfortunate youths on the border, creating international tension.
---
[ POV CICI ]
Cici wiped the sweat from her brow with her sleeve. The smell of salted fish and sea air was her daily breath now. The Drunken Mermaid Inn where she worked was located on the docks of the island kingdom of Seahaven, full of rough sailors and whispers from all corners of Etheria.
"You hear the news from Valoria?" grumbled an old sailor gulping his beer. "They say Mordred is furious. Royal patrols are being rushed to the border, even spreading to neighboring countries. Looking for someone."
"Who else could it be?" replied his friend. "The missing child. Arthur Valoria. Rumors say he's still alive and making trouble."
Cici almost dropped the plate she was washing. Her heart beat like a war drum. Arthur... He was alive! And Mordred was looking for him!
Suddenly, a sailor in tattered clothes approached her. "Miss," he whispered hoarsely, "someone left a package for you. Said you'd know." The man quickly slipped a long bundle wrapped in coarse cloth and a small scroll of paper into Cici's hands, then blended back into the crowd.
Her heart pounding, Cici slipped into the back storeroom to open it. First, the scroll. The writing inside was hurried but still legible:
"Lady Cici,
I am eyes and ears still loyal in the old palace. The wind brings bad news: Mordred is not only hunting Prince Arthur but has also sent assassins to Seahaven. They know you are here. They will use you as bait.
Arthur's name is becoming a whisper among the people who have not forgotten. Search for him. He is our only hope. Do not return to Valoria, explore the northern border. Look for signs of unusual power, signs that the heir has risen.
I give you what I saved from the ruin. This sword is his. Deliver it to him. It will help you recognize him, and help him claim his throne.
I can help you no more than this. May the Gods Protect You.
· A Failed Guardian"
Cici recognized the code. "A Failed Guardian" — that was the alias of General Erlic! Her hands trembled as she unwrapped the cloth bundle. Inside, wrapped in worn velvet, was a katana. Its hilt was carved with the nearly faded symbol of the Valorian royal family. As she drew the blade slightly, the metal gleamed even in the dim storeroom light, emitting a barely audible hiss. The sword felt alive and heavy with history.
She looked towards the harbor. A small warship flying the Valoria flag had just docked. The assassins had arrived.
General Erlic's message and the weight of the sword in her hands gave her certainty. Her protection in Seahaven was over. She had to leave.
Gasping for breath, Cici rewrapped the sword and hid it under her loose robe. She took some food supplies, water, and her sharp kitchen knife. She also took a rough map of the Valoria region. Without looking back, she disappeared into the narrow back alleys of Seahaven.
Her goal was now clear and dangerous: follow the coast, re-enter Valoria, and push into the wild northern borderlands. She had to find Arthur and deliver this heirloom sword, the last legacy of a ruined era.
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